Robert Nishida
About
Exposure to fine particulate matter in polluted air is the leading environmental risk factor for premature disease and death on the planet and aerosols represent one of the largest contributors to climate forcing. It is critical to accurately characterize and quantify aerosol particles to reduce their negative effects.
Dr. Nishida's research group focuses on creating and evaluating an array of new sensors to measure aerosols and understand their effects. Key areas include aerosol-fluid dynamics, particle charging and transport in electric fields, and low-cost, networked sensors for fine and ultrafine particles. In his group, innovations arise by applying comprehensive physical models created in-house and validating them with detailed experiments. The research is applied to regulate emissions, improve air quality, and empower individuals to take action with real-time air quality data.
Dr Nishida is CEO and Co-Founder of Atmose Ltd. (http://Atmose.ca), which develops aerosol sensors and equipment. Prior to joining UW, as an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta, Dr. Nishida reported rates of viral emissions in bioaerosols from COVID-19 patients and the first comprehensive characterization of marijuana smoke particles. Dr. Nishida completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge, winning the UK Aerosol Society Doctoral Thesis Prize for outstanding aerosol-related research. He leads openAerosol (http://openaerosol.sourceforge.io), a platform for developing and sharing OpenFOAM models which include the motion of the air and the dynamic behaviour of the particles carried in it.